Madder Extract (Rubia tinctorum L.): What It Is and How to Use It

Madder extract is a concentrated form of the red dye from madder root (Rubia tinctorum L.). It gives the same reds, pinks and oranges as madder root, but you need much less of it and there is no plant material to strain out of the dye pot. This guide explains what madder extract is, how to use it, and when to choose it over root powder.

What is madder extract?

Madder extract is made by extracting the coloring compounds, mainly alizarin and purpurin, from madder roots with water, and then concentrating and drying the result into a fine powder. It dissolves easily and gives even color, which makes it ideal for cotton, linen, silk and wool, and for printing and painting with natural dyes.

Madder and Turkey red

Turkey has been a source of high-quality madder for centuries. Its name lives on in "Turkey red", the brilliant and very colorfast red on cotton that was famous across Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Read more about this history in our complete guide to madder.

How to dye with madder extract

1. Prepare the fiber: scour it, then mordant wool and silk with alum, or cotton and linen with tannin and alum. See our guide to mordants.
2. Weigh the extract: use 3–8% of the dry fiber weight (WOF): about 3% for pinks and medium reds, up to 10% for deep reds. For 100 g of fiber, that is 3–10 g of extract.
3. Dissolve: mix the extract with a little hot water to a smooth paste, then add it to a dye pot with enough warm water for the fiber to move freely.
4. Dye: add the wet, mordanted fiber and heat slowly to 60–70 °C (140–160 °F). Hold for 45–60 minutes, stirring gently.
5. Cool and rinse: let the fiber cool in the bath, then rinse and wash with a pH-neutral soap.

Madder extract vs. madder root powder

• Amount: extract 3–10% WOF; root powder 50–100% WOF.
• Ease: extract dissolves completely, so there is nothing to strain and the color is very even.
• Color: both give reds, pinks and oranges. Root powder can give slightly warmer, more complex tones.
• Best for: extract suits cotton, linen, printing and larger projects; root powder suits wool and traditional dye pots.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called madder?

The name comes from the Old English word mædere, the name of the plant whose roots give the dye.

What colors does madder extract give?

Reds, pinks and oranges with alum, deeper reds on tannin-treated cotton, and purples and browns with iron.

Is madder extract safe to use?

It is a plant-based dye, but treat it like any dye powder: wear gloves and a dust mask, and use dyeing equipment that you do not use for food.

Want to make a liquid extract yourself? Read how to make madder extract.

Related: Shop madder extract · Natural dye extracts · Natural red dyes